


Adjust

by DLanaDHZ



Category: Jumper (2008)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-07
Updated: 2008-09-07
Packaged: 2017-11-10 13:42:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/466948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DLanaDHZ/pseuds/DLanaDHZ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'You miss me, Griffin? ' 'It doesn' matter either way, now does it? Jumpers are meant to be alone. It's just somethin ya have to get used to. We're Jumpers.' David wanted to be alone on that rooftop, but Griffin was lonely too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Adjust

It's one thing to sit on top of the world. It's another entirely to sit at the bottom. The highest point in the world is on top of a mountain range, and it's just too cold for me up there. My highest point in the world, my favorite to go to when I want to feel important or need to watch people to make myself feel better, is the top of the empire state building. I can sit up there and stare down at all the people, barely even ants in my vision.

The ironic part about sitting up on this tall ass building is... I only come here when I'm feeling at my worst, at my loneliest, and only when I'm sure I'll be the only one up here. At any other given point in time, I'd go to London or France... or Rome. Somewhere where I could admire people and remember what it was like to have a life, somewhere where I'm not alone because... my partner is with me.

Today is not one of those days. He's off doing his own thing, as per usual. He often reminds me that he doesn't need my help doing... pretty much anything. He's the veteran in our line of work. I'm the grunt. I used to try and tell myself I was just as good as he was, but after awhile... well I just couldn't keep it up. Sure, I'd gotten better. Maybe I'd been promoted to 3rd rate paladin hunter by now, but he was always one step ahead of me. My best talent was simply running away.

I sat on the roof and leaned my head on my knees. My hands were loosely wrapped around my legs, down toward my ankles. I probably looked like I was sleeping. The wind was chilly, but I didn't mind. I was wearing a jacket.

My mind wandered. What was Griffin doing right now? Where had his hunting taken him, and how many people had he killed? My death count was still at 0. Griffin's was still rising. I sighed. I came up here to try and clear Griffin from my mind, but it wasn't working. If anything, it made it worse. I was lonely... I was weak without him.

At first, I'd had Millie, but she couldn't take living off of stolen money and being chased day in and day out. Roland hadn't shown up since I'd left him in the canyon side, so there was no danger in letting Millie go. Roland had been the only one to know who she was exactly... Roland had been the one who Griffin had been after for years... the one who'd scarred Griffin's perfect skin.

Griffin's skin, dripping with sweat after a long hard battle, covered in dirt from not having a cool shower in days. Griffin's hair, wet from jumping to the Atlantic and back, the salt water rolling down his curly locks and over his tan cheeks. The curve of Griffin's neck, marred by a scar on the right side. The tempting image of Griffin's strong chest, seen only by glorious happenstance when walking in on Griffin changing clothes.

Yes... Griffin was wholly dominating my thought process. Even the cold air and city noises from below could not drown out these images, these feelings. I clenched my fingers around my ankles, my pants bunching up between them. I knew only two things for certain while I sat up here. One was that I was hopelessly in love with Griffin, in a different way than Millie. Millie was more of a fling. I'd crushed on her as a child and had a chance with her as an adult. She was an escape. Griffin... Griffin I'd lived with and dealt with and seen the worst sides of. Yes. One thing I knew was definitely the way I felt about Griffin. The second thing I knew for certain was that Griffin could never find out about these feelings.

A familiar noise broke into my thoughts, but I passed it off as a similar sound that I was only forcing myself to think was the sound of a jump.

"Ya know, you look like a right child when you do that," his aching-ly familiar voice spoke up. So I really had heard the sound of a jump. I decided not to move or respond to Griffin.

"Yo, David! I'm talking to you!" he called out. He was a good distance behind me. Maybe 10 feet. "Aw, come on. You don' actually think I believe you're sleepin, do you?"

I shrugged in response. I opened my eyes and raised my head a little. The air up here was pretty intense sometimes, but right now it was so calm that I could even hear Griffin's footsteps.

"Somethin wrong, Davy? Did you go mute while I was away?" Griffin teased, squatting down beside me. I couldn't help but crack a smile, or at least a smirk, in response.

"Nah... I'm just thinking," I replied finally. Griffin whistled.

"Wow. You know, you shouldn't do that too much. It's not really your strong point," he continued to patronize me with his proximity. He was taunting me and he didn't even know it.

"Right," I agreed. A gust of wind blew by and ruffled through his hair. Mine was too short. I kept my eyes forward as much as possible, trying not to make eye contact with him.

Griffin stared at me for a while. I wasn't looking at him, but I knew what his face must look like. Confused, unsure, maybe a little worried if I was lucky. Griffin fell off his squat and now sat on his knees. Without warning, Griffin's hand slapped into my forehead, but not in a painful manner. My eyes went wide in confusion and I looked over at him. Griffin's eyes were closed, his other hand on his own forehead. Damn, why did he have to look so good all the time?

Griffin opened his eyes and dropped both hands. He gave me a quizzical look.

"You don' seem to have a fever...How long have you been up here?" he asked. "I think the air is gettin to you. You don' usually agree with me so easily."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Griffin, but I'm perfectly healthy," I replied, actually looking him in the eyes this time. Well, it looked like I was staring him in the eyes. I was really staring at his forehead, between the eyes.

"Then what's wrong with you?" the more experienced jumper asked. I chuckled and shrugged.

"A lot to think about. Millie officially moved back in with her mom. My dad has moved out of critical stage care at the hospital. My mom is out to kill me. Oh, and I'm homeless," I said to give a few examples, but obviously not all of them.

Griffin frowned and knitted his eyebrows together. He seemed confused, even more so than before.

"Look, man... I thought you were over the whole girlie issue," Griffin spoke, voice a little bit quieter than normal.

"Oh, I am," I replied, nodding and looking forward again. "But with her gone for good... Well," I shrugged, "I guess it just gets lonely."

"Didn't ya used to live alone?" Griffin asked, his hands resting on his legs, just above his knees.

"Yeah, but I got used to being around people between living with Millie and living with you. I'm not used to being alone anymore," I explained. "And my old 'solitary' life was semi normal. I could jump wherever I wanted and meet people. I knew my doorman by name, and he knew me. Now it's just me... hiding away where I can and trying to regain some semblance of what I had."

Griffin didn't say anything for a while. I thought he was starring at me, but when I looked over at him, Griffin was looking out toward the city. With his head turned to the side like that, I got a view of his scar peaking up over his collar. I let out a short breath and turned back to the city.

"Well I suppose you'll just haff to get over it, wont you?" Griffin said when he finally decided to talk. "Cause I'm havin to remake my old life too... ya know?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. Griffin needed to remake his old life? As long as I'd known him, Griffin was a loner who had nobody, tolerated nobody, and needed nobody. Heck, when I forced myself on him for a few days or weeks at a time, well Griffin nearly tore me to pieces. He always seemed more on edge the longer I was around. I suppose being forced to interact with people when you're a hermit can be rather annoying.

"Well for one... all my shit's been destroyed thanks to you and your little girlfriend," Griffin began, but I interrupted him.

"Ex-girlfriend," I reminded him.

"Right. 'Ex-girlfriend'. So I've had to restock myself and buy all new computers... all AFTER finding a new lair," Griffin almost sounding like he was whining.

"Right. Sorry about that," I couldn't help but laugh. I knew all his problems started when he met me. Before that, his operations must have run a lot smoother. Not to mention, I was surprised I hadn't permanently ruined his jumping after I shoved him into those electrical wires. I was more surprised when I helped him down, and he forgave me after only punching me in the face once.

"And-..." Griffin paused. He scratched the back of his head. By the look on his face, I suppose he was having difficulty wording himself. He often did that when he had to show more emotion than bitterness, anger, complete confidence, or mild surprise.

I watched him with my head only tilted a little toward him. If I stared directly at him, he'd get angry and tell me he couldn't think straight with me staring holes into his head. If I didn't look at him at all, I'd be uncomfortable. I liked to watch Griffin when he was talking, or ... really doing anything. It was hard not to watch him when he was near.

"And I'm havin to re-teach myself how to be a hermit," Griffin said as if both surprised and exasperated by the idea. His hand dropped back to his leg.

"Huh?" I asked. I hadn't been expecting that kind of answer. What did that mean?

"Well hermits are supposed to be solitary and alone and- and- and not care what other people think!" Griffin exclaimed. "And I'm havin to teach myself to be alone again and not care how the lair looks or whatever else ya used to bug me about..." His loud rant had dissolved into a soft complaint by the end. I couldn't help but smile, my teeth giving off that semi-canine look.

"Aww, you miss me, Griffin?" I couldn't help but tease him. His lips seemed to thin out. How cute. He was embarrassed. Then Griffin stood up again and looked toward the end of the building. He vanished and appeared about four feet over, right against the fence.

"Well it doesn' matter either way, now does it?" he barked. "I'm a jumper. Jumpers are meant to be alone. It's just somethin ya have to get used to, yeah? We can't be tied down by anyone or anything. We can't because they'll just be taken away."

He sounded more like he was trying to convince himself instead of trying to lecture me, as he still did on a regular basis. I pushed myself up off the ground and walked the few feet between us. Usually I would have jumped, but after being chased because of my ability, I learned to like to walk more, like Griffin. I leaned on the fence next to Griffin.

"Griffin?" I asked. From this angle, I could see the way Griffin's eyes were searching, searching the ground and the sky and the buildings. They were shifting around as though they were desperately trying to find something or someone. Griffin's face only mildly enhanced the look in his eyes. He was rather good at hiding emotion, but right now I could tell he was upset over something. If we'd just met, I'd just think he was pissed, but I knew better now. I wondered if he trusted me enough to tell me what was wrong.

"You just... have to get over the little attachments, ya know?" Griffin continued as though I hadn't moved or said anything. Griffin gripped the fence and leaned his head against it. "Wha is it about this roof? Evere time I come up here, I end up thinkin about shit I don't wanna think about."

I understood. The rooftop seemed to be doing that to me too, lately. Still, I'd only seen Griffin up here a few times when he was coming to scold me or something. He must have come up without me while looking for me. I steadied myself and prepared for the answer to a question I was about to ask. I didn't really want to hear about past love interests, but...

"Who?" I asked.

"What?" Griffin replied, finally taking notice of me right beside him.

"Who is the girl you had to get over?" I clarified. Griffin scoffed.

"Girl? Why would I ever get attached to a girl?" he asked, taking a step back from me. We were in a corner so it wasn't like he could go far, but he still made some distance between us.

"Then who does the rooftop make you think about that makes you get that expression on your face?" I asked, a little annoyed. Why did Griffin have to be so stubborn?

"No one. I don' need anyone... and I don' have an expression on my face either. I'm fine livin the way I am, who I am," Griffin declared. He started to glare at me. "I'm gonna go back to my lair, and you know what? I'm gonna throw things all over the floor and stick maps and pictures wherever the bloody hell I want! You know why? Cause I'm a frickin hermit, David! I can do shit like that!"

It was a good thing we were up high or all his yelling would catch attention. Still, I slowly realized what he was getting at. I used to complain about Griffin's living conditions all the time when I stayed with him. For a while, I followed behind him, cleaning the place up and telling him what to do with his own things. After some time, the place just stayed neater, cleaner. Everything Griffin had said to me up here led me to believe only one thing... Griffin was trying to get over living with me. He missed me and how I made him run his life. Griffin, who always told me he didn't need my help with anything and kicked me out of his house more times than I can remember, missed me. ME of all people.

I smiled.

"Aw, Griff," I scolded lightly. How to put this so he wouldn't get offended? "No one said you couldn't have friends or live with other jumpers. You're a jumper. You're free. You're Griffin O'Conner, remember? You can do whatever you want, whenever you want. No one's stopping you."

Griffin sniffed and looked at me with steady, calculating eyes. I just stared right back into them, but I couldn't begin to imagine what mine were saying about my mood. Griffin scowled a little.

"Ya just don't get it, do you?" he asked, but it didn't seemed completely directed at me. It was almost a whisper, an afterthought. "Ya just don't get it."

He turned from me then, his head at least. He looked out through the corner of the fence. He looked a little lost, which was a lot for Griffin. Griffin never looked lost like he did now. I set my jaw. I didn't like Griffin looking lost. It made him look weakened, a little closer toward helpless. Those just weren't Griffin qualities.

Impulse took control of me. I didn't even consciously know what I was doing until I was already doing it. I closed the space between us in a single jump. Griffin looked at me, surprise evident in his eyes but an automatic defense was trying to cover it up. I grabbed Griffin by the chin and smash our lips together. There was nothing sweet and subtle about this kiss. Griffin may hate me and avoid me for the rest of existence after this, so now that I was kissing him, I was going to be forceful about it.

I heard the fence rattle as Griffin's body was pressed against it. Then it rattled again as Griffin's hands slammed back into it, a delayed attempt to stop his body. I forced his lips to reply to mine. His fingers gripped the fence tighter. I put a little more pressure into the kiss and then pulled back, breath short.

I stared at Griffin, and Griffin stared at me. For a moment we just looked each other over. His body language, the way it was pressed up against that fence, asked me to rip his clothes off and ravish him, but I knew Griffin would never take that without a fight. It just wasn't in his personality.

Griffin's eyes narrowed. His hands clenched against the fence. I was resigned to getting punched and ditched. I was ready for it. Griffin released the fence and lunged at me. His hands flew up to hold the back of my head, my hair too short to be caught in his fingers, and the back of my neck. His lips were on mine again. I hadn't been expecting that. His kiss was almost as fierce as mine.

I wasted no time in responding. I pressed back against Griffin, sending him back into the chain fence. Griffin's hand left my neck and held the fence. My arm was around Griffin's waist. My other hand grabbed Griffin's on the fence, covering it. And the kiss was deep. I forced his lips open and shoved my tongue down his throat. I heard him cover a whimper with a moan as my hand around his waist began to feel up his side, his hip. His hand under mine kept clenching against the fence.

"Griffin," I tried to speak through our kissing. Griffin made a 'no' noise as he kissed me.

"Just shut up and kiss me," he ordered. I smiled into the kisses that followed. It was all passionate and heated. The chill of the air was gone, and if I had it my way, so would Griffin's clothes be as well.

Suddenly, Griffin yelped and ripped his head away from my mouth. He was panting and looking up at his hand. I lifted my hand away from his, concern evident in my eyes. Griffin pulled his hand off the fence and turned it over to examine his palm. He was bleeding. We both stared at it while we caught our breaths, our bodies still pressed close together.

"Figures," he scoffed, closing his fist. I chuckled and held his hand in my own. I pulled away from him and took his wounded hand in both of mine. I uncurled his fingers and pressed my lips to his hand. Then I licked the blood away from his cut.

"Idiot.. Now we'll both be infected," he scolded me in a soft voice. I looked up and saw he was blushing, or that could be from the kisses.

"So I'm an idiot. You've been telling me that forever," I said, smiling down at him. I think that's the only thing that made me dominant in this relationship - my height. Or... I'd been dominant so far.

Griffin pulled his hand away from mine, closing it again. He turned away from me and looked out over the city again. It was almost as if all that kissing had never happened.

"We're jumpers, David," he said as though I'd forgotten. I wrapped an arm around him.

"That doesn't mean we have to be alone, Griffin," I pointed out. He chuckled.

"Yeah it does," he mused. "You're just in denial." I smiled. I leaned my mouth down by his ear, and when I spoke, my lips moved against it.

"So be in denial with me," I murmured. I felt him shiver a little in my grasp. He probably tried to hide that. "Hm?"

Griffin rolled his eyes and sighed in surrender.

"Yes... I suppose I will," he said. "Just make sure ya can get away from a paladin if they attack. I don' want to have to worry about losin you too. You're a jumper, for Christ's sake. I shouldn' have to protect you."

"Is that your way of saying you love me?" I asked with a laugh. Griffin just shrugged.


End file.
